Considering leaving private for B-CC

[Anonymous]

The alumni networks and bona fides would be much stronger at a private. Not much connecting B-CC kids after they leave.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The alumni networks and bona fides would be much stronger at a private. Not much connecting B-CC kids after they leave.

I truly think the alumni networks of any local day schools are overblown. Maybe Exeter is different. I went to one of the top schools here and my classmates are just ordinary people in ordinary jobs. I have not gotten any professional benefit from the "alumni network". And unlike college or grad school there isn't a career office or similar initiative to link alums professionally.

Not sure what a bona fide is in this context, but no one cares where I went to high school. College and grad school yes.

[Anonymous]

We moved from a "public private" to BCC for a year. I was shocked at the lack of parent involvement, and my very bright but not very motivated son thought that it was a joke. Said that the classes weren't challenging at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We moved from a "public private" to BCC for a year. I was shocked at the lack of parent involvement, and my very bright but not very motivated son thought that it was a joke. Said that the classes weren't challenging at all.

I thought that B-CC was a "public private"?

Also, what were your expectations for parent involvement?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We moved from a "public private" to BCC for a year. I was shocked at the lack of parent involvement, and my very bright but not very motivated son thought that it was a joke. Said that the classes weren't challenging at all.

??

[Anonymous]

Having been in both worlds - public and private - there is generally lots of parent involvement/ volunteering at private schools - even through high school. Likely because people are paying and feel invested. And it really is expected and part of the culture at many private schools. Also many private schools are smaller and so they count on a larger overall percentage of parents to volunteer. Public school parents volunteer (and some feel like they should in return for getting a free education for their child) but it simply does not happen at the same level. Not a judgement - just a reality.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Having been in both worlds - public and private - there is generally lots of parent involvement/ volunteering at private schools - even through high school. Likely because people are paying and feel invested. And it really is expected and part of the culture at many private schools. Also many private schools are smaller and so they count on a larger overall percentage of parents to volunteer. Public school parents volunteer (and some feel like they should in return for getting a free education for their child) but it simply does not happen at the same level. Not a judgement - just a reality.

We had the opposite experience. We were very involved with both but at our public school parents were very involved especially in the extra curricular activities like sports teams, drama, music, etc. I think it varies though - my DC went to a public similar to BCC so parents were very involved and had job flexibility to be able to volunteer and show up for activities. I saw tons of BCC parents at various sports events I attended. It may be different at lower SES schools where parents may have less flexibility. At our school parents are involved in fundraising for sports, drama, debate, music, etc. as well as manage sports teams, chaperone debate and music trips, help at fundraising events like the LLS month events, chaperone at school dances, fundraise, staff and run the entire post prom event, volunteer in the library, writing center, and so on. At our private school most of the volunteering was around fundraising for financial aid.

[Anonymous]

PP - I think part of that may be that a lot of extracurriculars (like music, sports team, etc) are organized and handled by the teachers and schools in private; where many of these activities are more parent (or PTA) organized and run in public - especially at the elementary and middle school level.

[Anonymous]

OP, that is a big decision and not one you can really change after you make it. I agree with the PP that said some of his issues seem pretty typical adolescent "I don't like school" stuff. Dig deeper with him.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The alumni networks and bona fides would be much stronger at a private. Not much connecting B-CC kids after they leave.

You can't possibly say that without knowing which private.
- someone who went to ES in the B-CC cluster, then private

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The alumni networks and bona fides would be much stronger at a private. Not much connecting B-CC kids after they leave.

You can't possibly say that without knowing which private.
- someone who went to ES in the B-CC cluster, then private

I think I was misunderstood when I said this. I really didn't mean networks like networking for professional purposes. I meant the community of alums from any of the privates around here would be stronger. The privates all have so many events at the schools where alumni are welcomed. At a private you feel like you are part of that school forever. Not so much at B-CC.

[Anonymous]

Why in the HELL do public schools still have cheerleaders? Cheerleading is an outdated, sexist, stereotyped, negative, body-focused, hypersexualized JOKE and should be baniushed from ALL sidelines. Competitive chher is different, it is a sport in and of itself. School-sport sidleine cheerleaders are awful. YUCK!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP here. Not to take this thread in a different direction, but why don't cheerleaders go to away games? Is this unique to MCPS? Why do we settle for things like this in MCPS and assume it's normal (like the facilities)?

I'm actually glad to hear that MCPS doesn't pay for cheerleaders to go to away games.

+1

[Anonymous]

If athletics are important, your son probably want get as many opportunities as he would at a private (if any at all). I'd be very, very hesitant to make the move in your shoes. Perhaps look at different privates.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The alumni networks and bona fides would be much stronger at a private. Not much connecting B-CC kids after they leave.

You can't possibly say that without knowing which private.
- someone who went to ES in the B-CC cluster, then private

I think I was misunderstood when I said this. I really didn't mean networks like networking for professional purposes. I meant the community of alums from any of the privates around here would be stronger. The privates all have so many events at the schools where alumni are welcomed. At a private you feel like you are part of that school forever. Not so much at B-CC.

"Possibly say" PP here. My dad went to BCC and is still very connected to the school and still has a dozen friends who went there with him, not to mention my stepmother, in his mid-70s. My friends from ES who went on to BCC and are still in the area are still close and many of them have kids there and in its feeder schools. I can't say that experience would be the same for someone who arrived just for high school from private, though.